How Dare You Without My Permission!
Bai Ze led Yeop Hyeon deep into the mountains. The demon beasts that had traveled with them had already scattered in all directions.
They had returned to their stronghold within Mang Mountain.
After trekking for a good while, Bai Ze and Yeop Hyeon came to a halt before a cavern nestled in the heart of the deep woods. The cave mouth was far too vast to be called a mere cave—it was easily five or six times wider than the gates of the Gangguk imperial city.
At that moment, a group of demon beasts appeared around them. Some among them were species Yeop Hyeon had never laid eyes on in his life. Spotting Bai Ze, they approached with joyful expressions. Bai Ze, too, grinned broadly and embraced them one by one.
Just then, the demon beasts hurriedly retreated to one side of the cave. Moments later, a middle-aged man emerged from within.
The man towered a full head above Yeop Hyeon, exuding an aura of overwhelming ferocity.
He was Bai Ze's adoptive father, the Mang Mountain Demon King.
The Mang Mountain Demon King's gaze shifted to Yeop Hyeon. Bai Ze flashed a grin and introduced him.
"Father, this is the Yeop Hyeon I told you about."
The Mang Mountain Demon King narrowed his eyes, staring straight through Yeop Hyeon.
At that, Yeop Hyeon stepped forward and cupped his fists in salute.
"Father, I am Yeop Hyeon!"
Father?
Bai Ze blinked in confusion at the form of address.
The Mang Mountain Demon King looked faintly taken aback as well.
Father? What nonsense is this?
Yeop Hyeon adopted a solemn expression.
"Bai Ze and I are as close as brothers, so his father is my father too. By the way, I prepared a humble gift on my way to meet you, Father."
Yeop Hyeon opened his right palm, and a tray materialized above it. Inside lay ten fist-sized fruits, white with a rosy blush, pleasing to the eye and emitting a fresh, tangy scent.
They were Peach Spirit Fruits.
The demon beasts' eyes widened dramatically.
To them, Peach Spirit Fruits were equivalent to Sky-Shattering Pills for humans—fruits that could propel one's realm to new heights upon consumption.
But unlike Sky-Shattering Pills, Peach Spirit Fruits were incomparably harder to obtain. Demon beasts lacked the techniques to refine pills with similar effects, unlike humans.
Though the demon race lagged in creativity compared to humans, their long lifespans, massive builds, and other innate advantages made them superior on equal footing. Humans could never match them.
For demon beasts to ascend realms, it was mostly a matter of accumulating time and experience for natural breakthroughs. Heavenly materials and earthly treasures helped, but they were exceedingly rare.
And Peach Spirit Fruits were among the foremost of those treasures. Each one fetched two million taels of gold.
Gifting not one, but ten of them showcased Yeop Hyeon's boundless generosity.
The delay of a day in their schedule had been solely to procure these Peach Spirit Fruits. Thankfully, Chwi Seon Ru had moved swiftly to assist; otherwise, they couldn't have obtained them so quickly.
As the Mang Mountain Demon King opened his mouth to speak to Yeop Hyeon, the young man swiftly drew a golden plaque from his robes and presented it.
"Father, this contains one hundred million taels of gold. Please accept it as a token of respect from Bai Ze and me!"
One hundred million taels of gold?
The Mang Mountain Demon King's face lit with deep emotion at those words. One hundred million taels wasn't pocket change. To the demon beasts of Mang Mountain, it was an astronomical sum—one they couldn't amass even if they pooled every resource in the mountain.
Bai Ze, watching this, was equally stunned. He hadn't dreamed Yeop Hyeon would offer such a fortune so freely.
The Mang Mountain Demon King stood silently, gazing at Yeop Hyeon for a long moment before speaking.
"What is this for?"
Yeop Hyeon replied with grave sincerity.
"Without Mang Mountain's aid last time, we would have perished at the hands of the authorities. Chang Lan Academy and I will never forget that grace!"
He had never taken others' help for granted. If someone aided him, he remembered it—and repaid it when the time came.
Return grace with grace, enmity with enmity. That was Yeop Hyeon's unbreakable creed.
The Mang Mountain Demon King regarded him briefly, then turned and vanished into the cave's depths.
"Follow me!"
Yeop Hyeon handed the golden plaque and the tray of Peach Spirit Fruits to Bai Ze, nodding toward the Demon King.
Bai Ze hesitated.
"Yeop gangdo, this is…"
Yeop Hyeon kicked Bai Ze's rear with his foot.
"Why so much chatter? Hurry and present it!"
Bai Ze glanced at Yeop Hyeon's face, then grinned.
"Right, got to listen to big brother!"
With that, he dashed after the Mang Mountain Demon King.
Yeop Hyeon shook his head twice at the sight, then followed them into the cave.
The cavern plunged deep, its width rivaling a plaza. What surprised Yeop Hyeon most was the presence of furnishings suited for humans.
The three sat facing each other at a table, where food and wine had already been laid out.
The Mang Mountain Demon King spoke first, eyeing Yeop Hyeon.
"So, Tache said you had something to discuss with me?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"I've come to humbly request your cooperation, Father. Please send some demon beasts to our Chang Lan Academy."
The Mang Mountain Demon King narrowed his eyes.
"Slaves?"
The air in the chamber turned icy at once.
Yeop Hyeon shook his head firmly.
"Not laborers—students. They'll train alongside humans at Chang Lan Academy, gain necessary resources, and be treated equally with human students. I guarantee it."
Students at Chang Lan Academy?
A ripple of surprise crossed the Mang Mountain Demon King's face.
Since Canglan and Cangmu Academies rose in Cheongju, they had exploited demon beasts as slaves but never accepted them as students. Humans across the board scorned the demon race as insignificant.
To humans, demon beasts were mere beasts of burden—like dogs or pigs kept at home. Without their formidable physiques, they might have been exterminated long ago.
Yet here was Yeop Hyeon, offering to take them as students.
This was unprecedented in Cheongju's history.
"Do you mean that sincerely?"
"Yes. All who enter Chang Lan Academy will be full students, treated the same. Of course, Father, you know I have many enemies gunning for me, and my ambition is to make Chang Lan the strongest in the Qingcang Realm. Joining means opportunity to surpass limits—but also danger."
The Mang Mountain Demon King stared at Yeop Hyeon wordlessly.
Yeop Hyeon had said his piece openly; now he awaited the response.
Bai Ze, standing to the side, chimed in cautiously.
"Father, I think this is a chance for our demon race. Our kin need to venture beyond Mang Mountain, see how vast the world is, how many powerhouses exist."
After witnessing the prowess of Neung Han and the others, Bai Ze and Mu Yun Qi had realized just how frog-in-a-well they'd been.
They were all extraordinary.
Yet Jungto Sinju teemed with even stronger beings, they said.
The world brimmed with powerhouses.
Moments later, the Mang Mountain Demon King spoke to Yeop Hyeon.
"Can you promise to treat them fairly?"
Yeop Hyeon nodded.
"I promise. And I'll support them fully to transcend their realms."
"Willful demon beasts are hard to handle. They might ignore rules, even basic etiquette. How will you deal with that?"
Yeop Hyeon smiled.
"If any can beat me in a fight, they can rampage through the academy as they please. If not, and they won't heed me, the rod will teach them."
"Hm… Very well! I accept your proposal. What qualifications for joining Chang Lan Academy?"
"Penetrating Nether Realm demon beasts should suffice."
The Mang Mountain Demon King rose abruptly and strode out of the cave.
"Follow!"
Outside, he stomped the ground fiercely. Mang Mountain quaked as if struck by an earthquake. Soon, hordes of demon beasts swarmed the cave's vicinity.
They came in every variety imaginable.
The Mang Mountain Demon King scanned the gathering with his fierce eyes and bellowed.
"Penetrating Nether Realm demon beasts, step forward!"
Soon, over twenty assembled before him.
Yeop Hyeon counted: twenty-seven in total. These were Mang Mountain's core forces.
The Mang Mountain Demon King said to Yeop Hyeon.
"The rest are mostly Soaring Realm."
Yeop Hyeon nodded, surveying the clustered demon beasts. They eyed him without hostility.
After a full look, he selected three more at the peak of Soaring Realm. Their auras were dense, on the verge of Penetrating Nether Realm.
In total, thirty demon beasts.
Yeop Hyeon turned to the Mang Mountain Demon King, who addressed the thirty.
"From now on, obey the human before you. Any who refuse, fight him."
In the human world, the strong commanded respect. Demon beasts were no different.
To take them, Yeop Hyeon had to prove his worth.
It was also the Demon King's test of his strength.
The demon beasts exchanged glances. One stepped forward—a massive lion-form, dwarfing Yeop Hyeon to childlike proportions.
It glared down briefly, then raised a paw, slashing with razor claws.
The enormous foot crashed like a falling hill, shaking the earth.
Boom!
A dull thud echoed as the lion demon beast flew airborne. Arcing like a bowstring, it soared dozens of zhang before smashing into a tree and crashing down.
All demon beasts' eyes bulged. They whipped their heads toward Yeop Hyeon, who stood unmoved.
Unseen by them, a mysterious force had slipped from behind him.
His Earth Power. Without it, subduing the beast's tough body would have been tougher. He could have used his sword, but that risked injury.
No Penetrating Nether Realm beast could block the Spirit Water Sword.
Yeop Hyeon stepped forward.
"Any more dissenters?"
The demon beasts merely glanced at one another; none advanced.
Yeop Hyeon turned to the Mang Mountain Demon King.
"I'll take them!"
With permission granted, Yeop Hyeon led the demon beasts from Mang Mountain toward Yangjie City without delay.
En route, the transmission stone in Yeop Hyeon's bosom buzzed and vibrated.
Soon, his expression darkened.
"What happened?"
Bai Ze asked.
"An envoy from the Daeun Empire arrived. They want to arrange a marriage with the former princess."
Yeop Hyeon pocketed the stone, muttering with a cold sneer.
"These bastards… how dare they without my permission…"